1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle, and more specifically to such an air conditioning system suitable, wherein when either a door or a window is in an opened state or the vehicle room is in an unmanned state, the power consumption can be controlled by deactivating the air conditioner.
2. Description of the Related Art
The concept of mounting an air conditioner in a vehicle and controlling the temperature, humidity, airflow, etc. inside of the vehicle so as to ensure comfortable driving, has heretofore been carried out.
Similarly, an electric vehicle is also provided with the air conditioner. In this case, a battery for energizing a motor used as a drive source for running the vehicle is used in common for a drive source used for the air conditioner. However, the power to be stored in the battery attached to the electric vehicle is restricted.
Thus, in the air conditioner mounted to the electric vehicle, a method has been examined which automatically controls the output of a compressor according to the environment in the vehicle room and controls the consumption of power stored in the battery so as to make the power consumption as efficient as possible.
In the conventional air conditioning system for the electric vehicle, however, the air conditioner can be activated even when either the door or the window is in an opened state. Therefore, there was a risk of the battery power being wasted through the driver's carelessness.
When the electric vehicle stops is stopped, the motor used as the driver source is de-energized. Therefore, the vehicle room becomes silent and the driver is hence apt to leave his/her vehicle with a switch for the air-conditioner left on, thereby causing a problem that the unmanned vehicle room is air-conditioned and the valuable battery power is wasted.